How To Enable Android Emergency Location Service In India

Google has launched the Android Emergency Location Service in India, starting with Uttar Pradesh. The feature automatically shares the precise location. Here’s how to enable and use it.

Published By: Divya | Published: Dec 23, 2025, 04:18 PM (IST)

techlusive.in Written By article news — Written By Divya

During an emergency, the most important factor to get help quickly after the communication is the location. However, it is difficult to share the whereabouts during panic situations. To solve this problem, Google has introduced Emergency Location Service (ELS) on Android, and it is now officially live in India.

Google says in a blog post that Uttar Pradesh has become the first Indian state to fully operationalise Android’s Emergency Location Service, while the rest of the states will get it later. The system has been integrated by Uttar Pradesh Police and executed with support from Pert Telecom Solutions.

What is Android Emergency Location Service (ELS)?

Emergency Location Service is a built-in Android feature that automatically shares a caller’s precise location with emergency services when they dial 112 or other supported emergency numbers.

Instead of relying on a caller’s description, ELS uses GPS, Wi-Fi, and mobile networks to pinpoint location, which often has accuracy within 50 metres. In some cases, it can even send details like device language to help responders communicate better, Google mentioned. The service works for both calls and SMS, and continues sending location data even if a call disconnects shortly after connecting.

During its pilot phase, the service supported over 20 million emergency calls and messages, successfully identifying caller locations even when calls dropped mid-way.

How to activate Emergency Location Service on Android

The good part is that you don’t need to install anything. ELS is free and works automatically. Still, it’s a good idea to ensure it’s enabled on your phone. Here’s how to check:

First of all, open Settings on your Android phone
Go to Location
Tap Location Services
Find and enable Emergency Location Service
Once enabled, ELS activates only during an emergency call or SMS.

If you are worried about privacy, then know that Google has been clear on this – ELS activates only during emergencies. During the emergency, location data is sent directly to emergency services, not Google.